Sheet-delivery mechanism for printing-presses.



No. 689,919. Patented Dec. 3|, I90I. W. SCOTT.

SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PBESSES.

(Application filed Aug. 13, 1898.)

(No Model.) 3 Shuts-Sheet I.

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Patented Dec. 3|, I90l. W. SCOTT.

SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FDR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application filed Aug. 13, 1898.)

(No Modal.) 3 Sheets-$heet 2.

@q QHoqwqWM No. $893K]. Patented Dec. 3!, IBM. W. SCOTT.

SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application filed Aug. 13, 189B.)

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(N0 Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WALTER SCOTT, OF PLAINFIELD, NE\V JERSEY.

$HEET-DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 dated De m r 31,1901- Application filed August 13, 1898. Serial No. 688,531. (No model.)

To all whom zit may concern:

Beitknown that I, \VALTER SCOTT, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Delivery Mechanismfor Printing-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates more particularly to delivery mechanismfor printingpresses wherein the sheets are laid or delivered flat withtheir freshly-printed sides uppermost. Suchprinting-machinessometimeshave continuously-revolving impression-cylinders. In other cases theimpression-cylin der oscillates, and in yet other cases theimpression-cylinder revolves in one direction while taking an impressionand is at rest during the time the reciprocating bed is returning orduring the non-printing strokes of the bed. The present invention may beused in conjunction with presses of any of these and other classes fordelivering the sheets printed by such machines.

The primary object of the present invention is to deliver the sheetswith their freshlyprinted sides uppermost and piled uniformly and evenlyupon the delivery-board and to improve the action of the sheet-d eliverymecl1- anism.

Another object is to provide a means for the ready and easy adjustmentof margintapes to suit sheets of different widths, and other objects, aswill hereinafter more fully appear.

To these ends the invention includes features of construction andcombinations of devices hereinafter described,and more particu larlypointed out in the appended claims.

The preferred form of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is aside elevation. of so much of a bed-and-cylinder printing-press asincludes that part thereof to which the present invention is applied andshowing this invention in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a "erticaltransverse section through the to-and-fro-moving carriage of thedelivery mechanism and showing driving mechanism therefor. Fig. 3 is aside View on an enlarged scale, showing the carriage of the deliverymechanism, part of vices, and certain features of the present invention.Fig. 4 is an end view from the right of Fig. 3 and on the same scale,showing one end of said carriage and the gripper-operating devices inend elevation. Fig. 5 is a side view, on the scale of'Figs. 3 and 4c, ofthe gripper mechanism at the moment it is opened to release the sheets.Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a shaft, a pulley or tape-Wheelthereon, and grooves and a spring for bolding the pulley in positionagainst endwise displacement on theshaft and permitting ofthe readyendwise adjustment of the pulley on the shaft. Fig. 7 is a longitudinalsectional view of the devices shown in Fig. 6.

The same part will be found designated by the same character ofreference in the various views of the drawings in which it may be shown.

The reference-letter A designates a suitable framework for supportingthe various parts of the machine, and B marks a suitable framing for thesupport of the delivery mechanism, the frame B being suitably attachedto and supported by the frame A.

C is the impression-cylinder, (and also the pitch-circle of thedriving-gear for the impression-cylinder,) which is shown as beingprovided with grippers 2, though any usual or suitable form ofsheet-retainers may be used thereon, as may be also sheet-lifters fordirecting the sheets from the impression-cylinder upon the fixed guides3, adjacent the cylinder at the delivery side thereof. Theimpressioircylinder may be prevented from touching the form or forms onthe reciprocating bed (not shown) in any suitable way, as by beinglifted. In the present instanccthe cylinder 0 is driven by a gear orpinion 4, jo'urnaled in the framing A beneath the cylinder and which isdriven in any suitable way. The sheets are fed to the grippers 2 by handor in other ways. The printed sheets are run by the guides 3 upon thetapes 5, running on pulleys or rollers 6 7. The pulleys 6 are carriedbya shaft 8, which is 'journaled in brackets J, bolted to the frame A ateach side ofthe machine, and the pulleys 7 are carried by a shaft 10,which is journaled in the frame B at each side of the machine andpreferably at a height somewhat above that of the shaft 8. Adjunctivedevices above the tapes 5 may be used, if desired, to insure that thesheets shall not lift or rise as they are run forwardas, for example, aset or pair of tapes 11, which may bear only on the margins of thesheets. The tapes 11 are carried by rollers or pulleys 12 13, the firstof which are carried by a shaft 14, journaled in the brackets 9, and thesecond of which are carried bya shaft 15, journaled in the frame B ateach side of the machine or in boxes 16 on rods 17. By having the tapes11 at a little distance from the tapes 5, which distance may be variedby suitable means, the operation of drawing the sheets from between thetwo sets of tapes is much facilitated,especially if, as may be themethod of operation in some cases, the tapes 5 and 11 are stopped or areat rest all or part of the time during which the sheets are pulled frombetween them.

The devices thus far described are or may.

be of usual or suitable construction.v

From the pulleys 7 and 13 or the tapes 5 and 11 the sheets pass to thedelivery mechanism shown. This mechanism includes a to-and-fro-movingcarriage 18, which is provided with rollers 19, running on suitableguides or ways on the frame B. The carriage 18 is composed of end pieces21, to which the rollers 19 are connected by theirjournals and the armssupporting said journals, and two cross-bars 22 23. The cross-bar 22consists of a shaft, which is bolted or otherwise secured to the ends 2021, as by the set-screws 24, which pass through and engage threadedholes in the ends 20 21 and bear against the shaft 22. (See Fig. 3.) Thecross-bar23 consists of a bar having a flat top 25 and is bolted orotherwise secured to lugs 26 on the end pieces 20 21. with bearings 28for a transverse shaft 29, and this shaft is provided with equalspur-gears 30 31 at or near its ends and fast to the shaft. These gearsrespectively mesh with the racks 32 33, fixed to the frame B. Theseracks 32 33 afford convenient ways or tracks for the rollers 19 of thecarriage 18, which run upon" their smooth tops or backs. At one end theshaft 29 is provided with a sleeve, which may be an extension or hub ofthe gear 30, and on this sleeveaspur-gear 34 is made fast. The pinion 34meshes with a to-and-fro-moving rack 35,

which is suitably guided on the frame 13, as indicated in Fig. 2. Thegear 34'is of a width sufficient to take up about one-half the width ofrack 35 only. A gear 36, fast on a shaft 37, which is journaled in theframe 13, meshes with the rack 35, the gears 34 and 36 being in theinstance shown in different planes with respect to the rack 35. Theshaft 37 is providedwith a second gear 38, fast thereto,which gearmeshes with a reciprocating rack-bar 39, movingin aguideway 40, securedto the frame B in an oblique position. The shaft 37 has a collar 41 fastthereto, which lies between the gear 36 and the frame B, thus preventingthe These end pieces are provided.

shaft from moving in one direction endwise, while the gear 38 preventsthe shaft'from moving endwise in the other direction, the gear 38 andcollar 41 being at opposite sides of the piece of frame B in which theshaft is journaled. I

The rack-bar 39 is preferably moved to and fro by the following means: Ashaft 42 is journaled in the framework Anear the base thereof andisprovided with a gear 43, fast thereto. The pinion 43 is driven from thegear4 through the pinious 44 45, fast on ashaft 46, which is journaledin the frame A, the pinion 44 meshing with the pinion 4 and pinion 45meshing with the pinion 43. As proportioned in the drawings, the pinion43 is equal to the gear on theimpression-cylinder C, while the pinion 44is twice the size of the pinion 45. The size of the gear 4 isimmaterial. The shaft 42 is ,provided with a crank 47, which is integralwith or attached to a disk 48, fast on the shaft 42. A strengthening-arm49 may be formed on the disk between the hub thereof and the crank-pin47. The shaft 42 is preferably journaled in the framework A relativelyto the line of motion of the rack 39 in such wise that that lineextended passes to one side of said shaft. The result of thisarrangement is that the time of movement of the rack-bar 39 (and theparts operated thereby) in one direction is greater than its time ofmovement in the other direction. WVith the rack-bar 39 engaging the topor upper side of pinion 38 on the side thereof toward the cylinder 0 andthe shaft 42 on the same side of the line of motion of the rack-bar 39as the gear 38, it follows that the return movement of the carriage 18toward the cylinder 0 is its slower movement, while its outward movementis the faster. This arrangement provides for the slow dropping or layingof the sheets upon the delivery-board 50 in an even or uniform pile. Thecrank 47 has one end of a pitman-rod 51 pivotally connected therewith,and the other end of the rod 51 is similarly connected at 52 with alever 53, which is preferably pivoted to the framework A, as at 54, onthe same side of the line of motion of the rack-bar 39 as the shaft 42.The lever 53 is connected to the rack 39 by a pitman-rod 55, which ispivotally connected to the lever at 56 and to the rack at 57. The crank47 moves to the left in Fig. 1, (see arrow ct.) and the lever 53continues to move downwardly until the crank 47 reaches the positionindicated by the dotted line Z), which is more than a half-revolution ofthe crank from the position shown in full line or that position of theparts in which the centers of shaft'42, crank 47, and pivot 52 are inline in the order named. As shown by the dotted line 0, the pivot orhinge 52 reaches the limit of its motion downward when the centers of'crank 47, shaft 42, and pivot 52 are in line in the order named, (inwhich case the rod 51 lies across the disk 48,) at which time thecarriage 18 is nearest the cylinder 0. The sheet-support shown in thedrawings "consists of a web or ribbon of fabric 58, hav

ing one end thereof fast to a bar 59, which is secured to the frame B,closely adjacent to *the pulleys 7, in such relation thereto that thesheets when run out by the tapes are run upon the top of the fabric 58.The other end of the fabric 58 is fast to a hollow roller 60, which isloose on the shaft 29 aforesaid, and the fabric is wound on and unwoundfrom said roller during the excursions of the carriage 18 toward andfrom the cylinder 0. The bar 23 is provided with an extension 61 at itstop, whose edge is very nearly in contact with the fabric 58 when thelatter is rolled up on the roller 60, thus insuring that the heads ofthe sheets shall run upon the top of the bar or gripping member 23asthey are delivered thereto by the tapes 5. The fabric 58 is wound uponthe roller 60 by means of a tape 62, which is fast at one end to theroller 60 and at its other end to a roller 63, journaled at 64 in an armfrom the frame B. This roller 63 may be loose upon the shaft or stud 64and be connected thereto or to the frame 13 by means of a spiral springcoiled around the shaft and having one end fast to the shaft or frame Band the other end fast to the roller 63, as in my prior Letters Patentof the United States, granted July 9, 1901 No. 678,044, upon anapplication filed the 19th day of May, 1897, Serial No. 637,173, thusproviding for the automatic taking up of any slack in the fabric 58during the operation of the mechanism. The tape 62 winds on the roller60 at one edge of the fabric 58 as the fabric winds off the roller 60and unwinds therefrom as the fabric 58 winds up on the roller 60, or Imay use two such tapes 62 and rollers 63, one set being at one edge ofthe fabric 58 and the other set being at the other edge of said fabric.

Thesheet-gripping mechanism herein shown includes the bar 23 and a setof grippers 65, each gripper being provided with a gripping or workingface 66 for coaction with the top 25 of the bar 23, and each gripperbeing by preference provided with a stop 67, preferably at right anglesthereto, for the sheets, and said stops preferably being integral withthe grippers 65. The sheet-stops 67 are shown as arranged to drop infront of the bar 23, and they may or may not touch the same. Thegrippers are fast on and move with a shaft 68, which is journaled inarms 69, extending downwardly on the cylinder side of the shaft 22 fromthe same. The shaft 68 has an arm 70 fast thereto, which arm ispreferably provided with a side lug or projection 71 and with a roller72 at one side thereof, by means of which the arm 70 and shaft 68 areoperated. The hub 73 of the arm 70 has a second arm 74 projectingtherefrom, and the end piece 20 is provided with a lug 75. Arod 76 ispivotally connected with the end of arm 74 at 77 and passes looselythrough a perforation in the lug 75. A spring 78, coiled about the rod76, bears at its ends against the lug .the sheets are run.

Fig. 3.) In this last position of the faces 66 115 and a collar or otherstop of the rod. The rod 76, lug 75, and shaft 68 are so arrangedrelatively to each other that the force of the 70.

expansive spring 78 tends to rotate the shaft in either direction,according as the center 77 is above or below the line joining thecenters of lug 75 and shaft 68. The rotation of the shaft 68 in onedirection is limited by the 75 faces 66 of the grippers 65 coming incontact with the top 25 of the bar 23 and in the other direction by asuitable stop. (Not shown.) Mechanism for rotating the shaft 68, so asto bring the center 77 above and below the line So joining the centersof shaft 68 and lug 75, will now be described.

The frame Bis provided with a lug or standard 79 on one side and at theend next the cylinder 0. This lug 79 extends into the path of the arm 71and may be employed to operate the arm 70 and shaft 68; but I prefer tooperate said arm and shaft by an adj ust-able stop, as by a screw-bolt80, which engages with a threaded perforation or hole in the lug 9o 77has passed the center line joining the shaft 68 and lug 75 in itsdownward movement, (see dotted lines din Fig. 3,) and this stop curvesdownwardly to allow the spring 78 to move the, grippers 65 downwardlytoward the bar 23,

(see position 6, Fig. 3;) but the working face of the stop 82 becomesparallel with the line of motion of the carriage 18 at such point, as83, as will prevent the grippers 65 or their working faces 66 fromgripping the heads of the sheets against the top of bar 23, but will? noleave a small space, as the thirty-second or sixteenth of an inch,between said top and said working faces 66, into which the heads of (Seeposition marked f,

relatively to the top of the bar 23 the sheetstops 67 on the grippersextend in front of the head of the sheet and stop the same at or in apredetermined position relatively to the front edge of the bar 23, orrather the speed of the sheets and of the carriage 18 is brought intounison by the stops. The stop 82 ends at a point 84, and there theroller 72 drops off the delaying guide or stop 82 and the grippers closeand grip the sheet firmly against the bar 1 25 23. It will thus be seenthat one function of the stop 82 is to delay the closing of the grippers65 until such time as the heads of the sheets are in proper or desiredrelation with respect to the stops 67.

closed and draw the sheets along over the support 58 until the carriage18 reaches the end of its outward movement, when the roller 72 is actedupon by a cam or lifter to rock the To prevent un- 5 The grippers remain1 o shaft 68 to bring center 77 above the line join ing the centers ofshaft 68 and lug 75, thus opening the grippers and moving the stops outof the way ofthe sheets. I prefer to have the lifterfor the arm ,70 amovable one, so as to quickly open the grippers and release the sheetsat the instant the carriage 18 ceases or ends its movement. I thereforeshow a lifting-arm 85,;which is fast to shaft 86, journaled inthe frame13' or-in suitable bearings 87 88, attached thereto. This shaft 86 isprovided with an arm 89, with which one endof a pitman-rod 90 ispivotally connected, the other end of the rod being similarly connectedwith one end of a lever 91, which is pivoted,

at 92to the frame A or to a bracket thereon. The other end of the lever91 is provided with an antifriction-roller 93, which is in position tobe acted on by a cam 9f on the aforesaid disk 48 to lift that end oflever 91 and, through the described connections, to lift the arm85 atthe moment carriage 18 reaches the limit of its outward movement and isat rest, and thus torelease the sheets, as aforesaid.

In some cases when the sheets used are of a sufficient thickness orstiffness the grippers 65 may be formed to engage the bar 23 at an angleinstead of flatwise, thus providing acute openings, into which theheadsof the sheets are run and jammed or held by the grippers and bar, thusavoiding the necessity for the second drop-motion of the grippers toclose them.

The stop 82 is preferably detachable from andadjustable along the top ofthe frame B, as by slots 95 in the stop and the headed screw-bolts 96,which pass through the said slots and engage with threaded holes in theframe B. Washers 97 under the bolt-heads maybe used, if desired.

In order to capacitate the press for the production of copies of varioussizes or widths and to adjust the tapes 11 so as to coact only with themargins of sheets of various widths, I provide means whereby the pulleys.12 13 may be readily and accurately adjusted along their respectiveshafts. The novel means employed for this purpose are shown in Figs. 6and 7 and will now be described. Theshafts 14 15 are shown as beinground in cross-sectionand are shown as being provided with two or moregrooves 98, which extend circumferentially thereof. These groovesarepreferably circular or rathersemicircular in crosssection and are atdistances apart such that various regular widths of papers used forprinting upon correspond thereto. provide two or more of these groovesfor each pair of pulleys 12 13, or Imay provide them for only one pairof such pulleys 12 13, or I may provide them on but one shaft andpulleys on that shaft and employ a roller instead of pulleys on theother shaft for the tapes 11. The pulleys 12 13 which it is desired toadjust are each provided with internal grooves in their hubs, suchgrooves being marked 99 in the drawings and being sufficiently deep Imay to wholly receive the (round) wire springs 101 when these'are forcedoutward thereinto. The springs 101 normally tend to close into thegrooves 98 and project into the grooves 99 in the hubs 100, being of adiameter substantially equal to the diameter of the grooves 98. Thepulleys are connected with their shafts by spline 102 and correspondinggroove. The spline may be on either part and the groove on the otherpart, as will be understood. The pulleys are thus held against rotationindependent of their shafts. is desired to adj ust the pulleys and theirtapes along their shafts,the pulleys are pushed endwise of their shaftswith force sufficient to causethe springs 101. to expand and jump out ofgrooves 98 into the grooves 99 and onto the outer surface of theirshafts, whereupon When it the springs and pulleys may be slid along theshafts tothe next grooves, where the springs snap into the grooves 98and bring the pulleys to a stop. In this way the pulleysmay be adjustedalong the shafts from one to another of said grooves and carry theirtapes along with them. In case a roller be used for the tapes, and thesaid adjustable pulleys be used for them at the other end, the adjustmeut of the pulleys in the described manner causes the tapes to slidealong the roller to the new position for the tapes. It will thus be seenthat this feature of my invention includes a grooved or notched shaft, arecessed pulley orwheel, and a'spring-detent for connectingwheel andshaft through the medium of the grooves or notches and recess.

The operation of the abo ve-described deliverymechanism will now bedescribed. The positions of the parts shown in Fig. 1 are thoseoccurring in a two-revolution cylinder printing-press at the end of thefirst revolution of the cylinder 0, as during a forward or printingstroke of the bed. The carriage 18 has just reached the limit of itsoutward movement, and the grippers 65 have just been opened. As thecylinder 0 moves from the position shown and as its grippers 2 approachthe guides they are opened by suitable means, and the sheet upon thecylinder is directed upon the guides 3 and by the guides 3 to the tapes5-. The returning carriage 18 delivers the sheet thereon, as hereinafterset forth. The sheet from cylinder 0 is run out by tapes 5andbetweeitpulleys 7 and 13 and onto the fabric 58. During the secondrevolution of the cylinder (land while the tapes 5 are carrying thesheet out the carriage18 is returning to the left in Fig. lor toward theimpression-cylinder C by the described mechanism. As the carriage 18reaches the end of its return movement the arm or lug 71 comes incontact with and is moved by the fixed abutment 80, and the arm 70,shaft 68, and grippers 65 are moved into the position indicated indotted lines at the left of Fig. 3, in which position the center 77isjust below the line joining the centers 68 and 75 and in which theaction of spring 78 tends to close the grippers 65 on the bar 23.

The grippers are prevented from closing down on the bar 23 at this time,however, by the delaying-stop 82, with which the roller 72 comes incontact and by which the roller and arm are arrested, as indicated inFig. 3, (position marked 01.) As the carriage 18 reverses its motion andmoves away from the impression-cylinder O and the position d the roller72 rolls oif or down the inclined top (2 of stop 82 onto the portion ofthe stop which is parallel with the path or line of movement of thecarriage 18. At this time the grippers 65 are very close above the topof bar 23-say the thirty-second of an inch therefrom-and the stops 67are in position in front of the bar 23 to stop the sheet as it is runout. (See position marked fin Fig. 3.) By the time the roller reachesthe point 84: the sheet has overtaken the stops 67 and is stoppedthereby, or rather the sheet and stops are now moving at the same speed,and the grippers close down on the sheet and firmly grip it against thebar 23, since the roller 72 is now freed from control and the spring 78can operate to close the grippers. During the further outward motion ofcarriage 18 the sheet is drawn out from between the tapes 5 and 11 bythe said gripping mechanism and is drawn over the unrolling support 58.As the carriage 18 reaches the limit of its outward movement the cam 94operates the lever 91, and through the described connections the shaft86 is rocked and causes arm to lift roller 72, and thus to rock the arm70 and shaft 68 until the center 77 passes above the lines of centers 68and 75, whereupon the spring 78 completes the motion of the partsandmoves the grippers 65, arm 70, &c., into the positions shown in Fig.5. By preference this opening of the grippers and release of the sheetsoccurs at the moment the carriage 18 comes to rest at the end of itsoutward movement. Of course the parts may be so adjusted or timed as tocause the release of the sheets just before or just after thisparticular moment or position. During the relatively slower return ofthe carriage toward cylinder 0 the roller 60 winds up the support 58 andthe sheet falls head first onto the board 50 and against the pivotedspringpressed stops 102 While I have shown an extensible collapsiblesheet-support operated by certain means, I do not limit myself to suchsupport or to such means, for in so far as certain features of myinvention are concerned other forms of support and other operating meansmay be used without departing from my invention. Also I am aware thatequivalents may be substituted for features and elements shown and thatmany modifications and variations of What is shown and above describedmay be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of means forsupplying print-edsheets, ato-andfromoving member having an upper face, a gripper movingwith and movable independently of said member and shaped to coacttherewith to grip sheets against said face,and a downwardly-extendingtang or finger on said gripper acting as a stop for the sheets beforethe gripper closes down upon said surface or the sheet thereon,substantially as described.

2. In a sheet-delivery, a gripper having its front end bent downwardlyto form a sheetstop, in combination with a second gripper member withwhose upper face said gripper coacts and in front of which said bent endpasses, substantially as described.

3. In a sheet-delivery, a bar provided with a flat top, and one or moregrippers adapted to coact with said top to grip sheets and provided withdownwardly-extending sheet stop or stops which pass in front of said baras the-gripper or grippers close down on said bar, all in combination,substantially as de scribed.

4. In sheet-delivering mechanism, the combination of means for supplyingsheets, a toand fro moving sheet deliverer provided with a fiat-top bara movable gripper for coaction with said top to grip sheets and asheetstop carried by said gripper, and mechanism for closing saidgripper in two steps to first bring the stop into operation in front ofsaid bar and then to close the gripper to grip the sheet, substantiallyas described.

5. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of a to-and-fro-moving flat-topbar, a forwardlyprojecting gripper provided with a sheet-stop andcoacting with said bar to grip sheets, mechanism for operating saidgripper to first bring the stop only into operation in front of said barto stop the sheet and then to close the gripper, and means for openingthe gripper to release the sheets and move the stop out of the way ofthe sheet, substantially as described.

6. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of a to-and-fro-moving flat-topbar, a pivoted gripper having a horizontal sheet-gripping face forcoaction with said top and provided with a downwardly-extendingsheet-stop beyond said bar, and mechanism for closing said gripper intwo stages or steps in the first of which the gripper is slightly abovesaid bar and the stop is in its operative position and in the secondstep the gripper is wholly closed, substantially as described.

7. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of a to-and-fro-moving flat-topbar, pivoted grippers provided with sheet-stops, mechanism for throwingthe grippers with their stops in each direction, spring mechanism forretaining and throwing the grippers in each direction or position, andastepped fixed stop for stopping the grippers at a distance from saidbar with their stops in position in front of said bar to stop the sheetsbeneath the grippers and then releasing the grippers and allowing themto close and v grip the sheets against said bar, substantially asdescribed.

8. In asheet-delivery, sheet-supporting devices, a relatively fixedgripper member moving with said devices, an independently-movablegrippingmember also moving with said devices and coacting with saidrelatively fixed member and provided with a sheet-stop, and mechanismfor operating said movable member to close the same in two stages orsteps in the first of which the stop is positioned to stop the sheetunder the independently-movable gripper member and in the second stepthe gripper member is closed down to hold and draw the sheets along,combined, substantially as described.

9. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of sheet-supporting mechanismprovided with a relatively fixed gripper member, anindependently-movable gripper for coaction with said fixed member,asheet-stop rigid with said movable gripper, means for moving and holdingsaid movable gripper in each direction, and a stop for dividing up orcontrolling the closing movement of said movable member to firstposition it with its stop in front of the fixed member and then closingor allowing'it to close to grip sheets, substantially as described.

10. In a sheet-delivery mechanism,the combination of ato-and-fro-movable sheet support, a reciprocating rack and connectionsfor operating said support or carrier, a pitman rod or link pivotallyconnected to said rack, a crank pivoted at one side of the line ofmotion of said rack, and connections between said crank and said pitman,whereby the said carrier moves faster in one direction than in theother, substantially as described.

11. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of a to-and-fro-moving sheetsupport or carrier, a reciprocating rack and connections therefrom foroperating said carrier, a pivoted lever or arm, the pivot or fulcrum ofsaid lever or arm being at one side of the direction of motion of saidrack, a pitman or link connecting said rack and said lever or arm, acrank pivoted or journaled at the same side of the direction of movementof said rack as said pivot or fulcrum, and a rod connecting said leverand said crank, substantially as described.

12. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of a to-aud-fro-movablecarriage provided with a relatively fixed gripper member or bar, a shaftjournaled in said carriage, grippers borne by said shaft and coactingwith said member, an arm on said shaft, a spring for moving and holdingsaid shaft either side of a center position, a fixed stop or lug on thestationary framework for operating said arm and shaft, and a lifter alsoon the stationary framework for operating or moving said arm and shaftin the direction opposite that in which said lug moves them,substantially as described. 13. In a sheet-delivery, the combination ofa to-and-fro-movable carriage provided with a relatively fixed grippermember or bar, a shaft provided each with a circumferential grooveinside its bore to register with a groove on its shaft, splineconnections between each pulley and its shaft, a segmental spring foreach wheel or pulley and resting in the groove therein and in a grooveof the shaft of said wheel or pulley,and a sheet moving or guiding tapeon said pulleys or wheels, substantially as described.

15. The combination of parallel shafts each having a number ofcircumferential grooves, a pulley or wheel for each of said shafts andconnected therewith by a spline and provided with a circumferentialgroove within the bore thereof to register with a groove of its shaft, acircular spring for each Wheel and resting in the groove thereof and ina groove of the shaft for said wheel or pulley, substantially asdescribed.

16. The combination of parallel shafts each havinga number ofcircumferentially-extending grooves or notches, a pulley or wheel forand splined to each of said shafts, a spring within each of said wheelsor pulleys for engaging with the notch or groove of the shaft thereof,and sheet moving or guiding tape on said wheels or pulleys,substantially as de scribed.

17. The combination of parallel shafts each havinga numberof groovesextending at right angles to the axis thereof, a pulley or wheel foreach shaft and having independent motion endwise thereof only, springsfor connecting said wheels and notches or grooves, and a tape on saidpulleys or wheels for moving or guiding sheets, substantially asdescribed.

18. The combination of parallel shafts each havinga number of groovesextending at right angles to the axis thereof, a pulley for each shaftand having'independent motion endwise thereof only and a groove or notchwithin itself, springs in said wheel or pulley and shaft-grooves, and asheet moving or guiding tape on said pulleys, substantially asdescribed.

19. The combination of parallel shafts each having a number ofcircumferential grooves, a pulley for and splined to each shaft andprovided with an internal groove, a curved wire spring resting in agroove of each shaft and extending into the groove of the correspondingpulley, and a sheet moving or guiding tape on said pulleys,substantially as described.

20. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of a to-and-fro-movablecarriage provided with a relatively fixed gripper member or bar,a shaftjournaledin said carriage, grippers borne by said shaft and providedwith sheetstops, a spring for moving and holding said grippers on eitherside of a center position, an arm on said shaft, a fixed abutment in thepath of said arm or a projection therefrom for operating said shaft toclose the grippers, and a delaying-stop in the path of said armor aprojection therefrom for arresting the closing movement of the grippersafter the sheetstops are in position to stop sheets and before thegrippers close against said member and for afterward releasing saidgrippers and allowing them to grip the sheets, substantially asdescribed.

21. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of a to-and-fro-nlovablecarriage provided with a transverse flat-top bar, a shaft jonrnaled insaid carriage in rear of said bar, forwardlyextending grippers borne bysaid shaft and provided with downwardly-extending sheetstops ahead ofsaid bar, an upright arm on said shaft provided with a side lug and aroller, a fixed adjustable abutment for coaction with said lug, and adelaying-guide adja cent the abutment in the path of the roller as it isswung over by said abutment and armlug, whereby the grippers areprevented from wholly closing when the stops are brought into positionto stop the sheets and are afterward allowed to close and grip thesheets, substantially as described,

22. In a sheet-delivery, the combination of an extensible collapsiblesheetsupport, a gripper-bar in front thereof and moving to and frotherewith, and a pivoted gripper moving to and fro with said bar andhaving a working face for coaction with the top face of said bar and asheet-stop at an angle to its working face and passing in front of saidbar as the gripper closes down, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 2d day of August, A. D. 1898.

WALTER SCOTT.

Witnesses:

RICHARD W. BARKLEY, GUs. O. I'IENNING.

